text:
Collaborative Studies on Angiogenesis and Diabetic Complications
Request For Applications (RFA) Number: RFA-DK-04-022 (see addendum, NOT-DK-05-003)
Department of Health and Human Services
Participating Organizations
National Institutes of Health (NIH), (http://www.nih.gov/)
Components of Participating Organizations
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK),
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS),
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI),
National Eye Institute (NEI),
Announcement Type
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number(s)
93.847, 93.853, 93.867 and 93.837
Key Dates
Release Date: November 3, 2004
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): February 17, 2005
Application Receipt Date(s): March 17, 2005
Peer Review Date(s): June-July, 2005
Council Review Date(s) : September 14-15, 2005
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: September 30, 2005
Additional Information To Be Available Date (Url Activation Date): Not applicable
Expiration Date: March 18, 2005
Due Dates for E.O. 12372
Not Applicable
Additional Overview Content
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Part I Overview Information
Part II Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Research Objectives
Section II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
2. Funds Available
Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
A. Eligible Institutions
B. Eligible Individuals
2.Cost Sharing
3. Other - Special Eligibility Criteria
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates
A. Receipt and Review and Anticipated Start Dates
1. Letter of Intent
B. Sending an Application to the NIH
C. Application Processing
4. Intergovernmental Review
5. Funding Restrictions
6. Other Submission Requirements
Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
2. Review and Selection Process
3. Merit Review Criteria
A. Additional Review Criteria
B. Additional Review Considerations
C. Sharing Research Data
D. Sharing Research Resources
Section VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
2. Administrative Requirements
A. Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award
1. Principal Investigator Rights and Responsibilities
2. NIH Responsibilities
3. Collaborative Responsibilites
4. Arbitration Process
3. Award Criteria
4. Reporting
Section VII. Agency Contact(s)
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s)
2. Peer Review Contact(s)
3. Financial/ Grants Management Contact(s)
Section VIII. Other Information - Required Federal Citations
Part II - Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
The significant morbidity and mortality of Type 1 diabetes mellitus result predominantly from its complications, including blindness, renal failure, amputations, strokes and heart attacks. Hyperglycemia is the metabolic hallmark of diabetes and leads to widespread cellular damage. Endothelial cells, which poorly regulate intracellular glucose, may be particularly vulnerable to hyperglycemia. An excess of glucose sets off a chain of metabolic events that culminate in overproduction of reactive oxygen species in the mitochondria and which in turn leads to increased flux in the hexosamine and polyol pathways, increased formation of advanced glycation endproducts and activation of protein kinase C. These metabolic changes result in a plethora of tissue-specific functional defects with diabetes-associated vasculopathy as the central mediator of the pathophysiology of diabetic complications.
The growth of new blood vessels from existing ones (angiogenesis) is a complex process involving a number of specific vascular growth factors, cell types and extracellular matrix proteins. Under appropriate physiologic and pathophysiologic conditions, growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF), are released to initiate angiogenesis. Through a complex signal transduction pathway, endothelial cells divide or precursors of these cells migrate to the site of new blood vessel formation to form the nascent endothelial tube. Support cells such as pericytes and smooth muscle cells derived from mesenchymal cells overlay the endothelial tube and contribute to vessel remodeling and the arterialization of the vessel.
Studies suggest that the metabolic abnormalities of diabetes alter the angiogenic process. There are several mechanisms by which, angiogenesis may be vulnerable to the metabolic abnormalities of diabetes, though the extent and nature of this vulnerability is poorly understood. Non-enzymatic glycation that leads to advanced glycation end-products in serum and tissues can inhibit extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, leading to both a decrease in the release of angiogenic factors from the ECM and an expansion of ECM and hypoxia-induced neovascularization. Hyperglycemia has been associated with altered expression of growth factors (VEGF, FGF, angiogenin and 12-HETE) and ECM proteins (fibronectin). Diabetes is also associated with a chronic inflammatory state that damages micro- and macrovessels, and may well impede the growth of new vessels.
The metabolic defects of diabetes may be wide-ranging, but the clinical trial and epidemiologic data demonstrate that hyperglycemia per se is central to the vascular complications of Type 1 diabetes. This is an advantage for developing therapies as compared to other conditions such as cancer in which mutagenesis is an ongoing process that creates unique tumor phenotypes. Therapies to inhibit or stimulate angiogenesis that are being developed for other conditions may be highly efficacious for diabetic complications.
Diabetic retinopathy and neural manifestations
Abnormal angiogenesis in diabetes is most clinically apparent in proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The neovascularization is preceded by the selective destruction of pericytes, capillary failure and hypoxia that leads to the release of proangiogenic substances. The resulting vessels have increased permeability and are prone to rupture. Macular edema is another form of retinopathy in which increased permeability of blood vessels leads to deposition of extracellular protein. Therefore, the goal of effective therapy for diabetic retinopathy is not only to decrease the excess vessel growth, but also to restore normal vessel permeability and blood flow to the retina.
The effects of diabetes on angiogenesis in neural tissues other than the retina have not been well-studied. It is known that angiogenic remodeling occurs in the central nervous system in response to stimuli such as exercise or traumatic and ischemic injury. It is also known that diabetes has deleterious effects on the peripheral and central vasculature, as well as on neurons themselves. For example, there is increased risk of stroke and other types of cerebrovascular accidents in diabetes. Hence, an important future area of inquiry will be to determine whether these diabetic complications are accompanied by angiogenesis, and whether (as in the retina) the newly formed vessels are abnormal.
Diabetic wound healing
Impaired wound healing is a common condition in diabetes associated with a delay in progression beyond the inflammatory and proliferative phases of normal wound healing. Animal models of diabetes show reduced angiogenesis in healing of skin incisions. In diabetic patients, the blood vessels at the wound edge are abnormal with cuffing of collagen and other proteins, the fibroblasts have decreased proliferative capacity and an abnormal morphology and the ECM shows prolonged presence of fibronectin. Topical treatment of wounds with single growth factors have shown only minimal efficacy. A better understanding of the abnormalities in angiogenesis in diabetic wounds could lead to new targets for intervention. For example, the circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), which play a critical role in forming new vessels, are dysfunctional in diabetes. Discovery of the defects in these cells and the means to correct them could lead to autologous cell therapies for diabetic wounds. The accessibility of wounds also makes them a good model system for developing biomarkers and imaging tools for angiogenesis.
Peripheral and Coronary Arterial Disease
Diabetes is one of the strongest risk factors for peripheral arterial disease (PAD). PAD can lead to severe limb ischemia where amputation is the only recourse, especially in diabetics. Although studies in non-diabetic and diabetic animals suggest that the reduced angiogenic response in limb ischemia can be reversed by vascular growth factors, clinical trials using these growth factors have proven to be far from successful in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. It has been suggested that the responsiveness to angiogenic stimuli in PAD is impaired and conceivably more so in diabetics, suggesting that critical studies are needed to understand the uniqueness of the problem.
Collateralization (arteriogenesis) within the myocardium following an ischemic episode is believed to provide a survival benefit by limiting the zone of infarction following the occlusion of one or more coronary arteries. In individuals with diabetes, this collateral vessel development is blunted, with little known on the mechanism behind this finding. Understanding how a diabetic background alters the arteriogenic process should lead to important treatment options for coronary artery disease in diabetics.
Other complications
A role for excessive angiogenesis in the early phases of diabetic nephropathy has been suggested. Glomerular capillary surface increases early in diabetes, and studies in diabetic animals suggest that an anti-angiogenic peptide can inhibit the early lesions of diabetic nephropathy. Embryonic vasculopathy associated with maternal diabetes may be due to abnormal angiogenesis. The abundant expression of angiogenic factors in the placenta of non-diabetic women is altered in diabetic women and correlates with vascular malformations.
2. Research Topics
The objective of this RFA is to stimulate research on the abnormal angiogenesis seen with Type 1 diabetes and the mechanisms that lead to these abnormalities in order to develop therapies, biomarkers and imaging tools to improve the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic complications.
Tremendous strides have been made in understanding normal and pathologic angiogenesis and in particular for diabetes, the abnormalities in angiogenesis in diabetic retinopathy. The goal of this RFA is to extend studies of angiogenesis beyond diabetic retinopathy to other complications of diabetes, including peripheral, coronary and cerebral arterial disease, neuropathy, wound healing, nephropathy and embryopathy. Where defects in angiogenesis are well-documented, research in common underlying mechanisms of abnormal angiogenesis would be appropriate for this RFA.
Research proposals must focus on both Type 1 diabetes and angiogenesis and can use tissue culture methods, animal models and clinical studies. Clinical studies for diabetic retinopathy would not be considered responsive to this RFA. Research on the effects of diabetes on specific components of vessels (eq. endothelial cells, pericytes, ECM) would be responsive, if linked to a functional assessment of angiogenesis. Applications proposing research on the impact of diabetes on existing blood vessels would not be considered responsive to this RFA.
Applications should propose collaborative research partnerships between researchers with experience in diabetes and angiogenesis. Each research partner should be a successful independent investigator with a track record of successful research accomplishments. Each of the research partners will serve as a principal investigator on a grant application within a collaborative project. The level of effort proposed by the collaborating independent investigators should be appropriate for the scope of the project.
Appropriate topics for investigation under this RFA would include, but are not limited to:
The impact of the chronic inflammatory state produced by hyperglycemia and diabetes on angiogenesis.
The abnormalities in pericytes produced by diabetes that leads to vascular instability during angiogenesis.
The changes associated with diabetes in endothelial progenitor cells that alter their targeting to specific tissues and formation of new blood vessels.
The effects of diabetes on reducing the quality of newly formed blood vessels, especially changes in permeability.
Characterization of angiogenesis in the pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy including any changes that occur between early and late stage disease.
Mechanistic studies in appropriate animal models focusing on the revascularization in peripheral and coronary artery disease in a diabetic background.
The effects of diabetes on angiogenesis in the central and peripheral nervous systems, including possible effects on the capacity to mount normal angiogenic responses to stimuli such as exercise and tissue injury.
Investigation of mechanisms underlying the increased risk in diabetes of stroke and other types of cerebrovascular accidents with respect to angiogenesis and arteriogenesis.
Mechanistic studies to better understand the failure of administration of a single angiogenic growth factor to significantly improve arterial disease or wound healing.
Section II. Award InformationThe anticipated start date is September 30, 2005
Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Although the financial plans of the IC(s) provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Fiscal and administrative costs are not included in the direct cost limitation, see NOT-OD-04-040 .
Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
1.A. Eligible Institutions
You may submit (an) application(s) if your organization has any of the following characteristics:
Foreign institutions/organizations considering applying to this RFA must demonstrate an ability to conduct the proposed study in the designated setting(s) as well as an ability to meet government clearance requirements.
1.B. Eligible Individuals
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research is invited to work with their institution to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH programs.
2. Cost Sharing
Cost sharing is not required.
3. Other-Special Eligibility Criteria
Investigators may submit more than one application, providing there is no scientific or budgetary overlap.
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.
The letter of intent is to be sent by the date listed at the beginning of this document.
The letter of intent should be sent to:
Francisco O. Calvo, Ph.D
Chief, Review Branch
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
6707 Democracy Boulevard , Rm. 752
Bethesda , MD 20892-5452
(for express/courier service: Bethesda , MD 20817 )
Telephone: (301) 594-8897)
Email: email@example.com
3.B. Sending an Application to the NIH
Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant application instructions and forms as described above. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, and three signed photocopies in one package to:
Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 (U.S. Postal Service Express or regular mail)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application and all copies of the appendix material must be sent to:
Francisco O. Calvo, Ph.D
Chief, Review Branch
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
6707 Democracy Boulevard , Rm. 752
Bethesda , MD 20892-5452
(for express/courier service: Bethesda , MD 20817 )
Telephone: (301) 594-8897)
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Using the RFA Label: The RFA label available in the PHS 398 application instructions must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application. Type the RFA number on the label. Failure to use this label could result in delayed processing of the application such that it may not reach the review committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title and number must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. The RFA label is also available at: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/labels.pdf.
3.C. Application Processing
Applications must be received on or before the application receipt date listed in the heading of this funding opportunity. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant without review. Applications will be evaluated for completeness by CSR.
Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the CSR and responsiveness by the NIDDK Review Branch . Incomplete and non-responsive applications will not be reviewed.
The NIH will not accept any application in response to this funding opportunity that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. However, when a previously unfunded application, originally submitted as an investigator-initiated application, is to be submitted in response to a funding opportunity, it is to be prepared as a NEW application. That is, the application for the funding opportunity must not include an Introduction describing the changes and improvements made, and the text must not be marked to indicate the changes from the previous unfunded version of the application.
Although there is no immediate acknowledgement of the receipt of an application, applicants are generally notified of the review and funding assignment within eight (8) weeks.
4. Intergovernmental Review
This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.
5. Funding Restrictions
All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The Grants Policy Statement can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm (see also Section VI.3. Award Criteria).
6. Other Submission Requirements
1. This RFA requires a collaborative research project with two or three PIs to foster cross-disciplinary work. The investigators do not need to be at the same institution. For these collaborative projects, the individual components must be submitted as one packet accompanied by a cover letter that lists the principal investigators, their institution(s), and their identical project titles. To facilitate proper processing and review, include this letter with each of the individual applications, and, in each grant application, list the collaborating projects and principal investigators on page 2, under Performance Sites. In addition, the DESCRIPTION (page 2) for each grant application within a collaborative project should be the same and the applicants should define in the DESCRIPTION how and why the individual participants propose to collaborate.
2. The RESEARCH PLAN section should be included in ONLY one of the grant applications. All of the remaining grant applications within the collaborative project should refer to the RESEARCH PLAN from the designated application, rather than duplicate the RESEARCH PLAN. The significance and nature of the collaboration should be explained in the Introduction section of the RESEARCH PLAN.
3. Those collaborative applications that do not include, but only refer to, the RESEARCH PLAN must include the following info rmation in their application: Face Page, DESCRIPTION, Performance Sites, and Key Personnel, Research Grant Table of Contents, Modular budget, Budget Justification, Biographical Sketches of PI and other Key Personnel, Resources and Environment, and Checklist. Sections for Human Subjects Research and/or Vertebrate Animals must also be completed, if appropriate.
4. This RFA is a one-time solicitation. Future unsolicited, competing-continuation applications based on this project will compete with all investigator-initiated applications and will be reviewed according to the customary peer review procedures. Projects that are not funded in the competition described in this RFA may be restructured and designed as a traditional R01 application, and submitted as NEW applications using the standard receipt dates for NEW applications described in the instructions to the PHS 398 application at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html
5. Upon initiation of the program, the participating Institutes will sponsor annual meetings to encourage exchange of information among investigators who participate in this program. In their budgets, applicants should include funds for annual one-day grantees meetings, most likely in Bethesda , Maryland . Applicants should also include a statement in their applications indicating their willingness to participate in these meetings. The first such meeting will take place about six months after the award is issued.
Specific Instructions for Modular Grant applications.
Applications requesting up to $250,000 per year in direct costs must be submitted in a modular budget format. The modular budget format simplifies the preparation of the budget in these applications by limiting the level of budgetary detail. Applicants request direct costs in $25,000 modules. Section C of the research grant application instructions for the PHS 398 (rev. 5/2001) at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html includes step-by-step guidance for preparing modular budgets. Additional info rmation on modular budgets is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm .
Section V. Application Review Information
Collaborative grant applications will NOT be reviewed individually, but as components of a single research project, and, as such, the individual applications within a collaborative project will be assigned the same priority score and receive the same reviewers' comments within the individual summary statements.
2. Review and Selection Process
Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by NIDDK Review Branch in accordance with the review criteria stated below.
As part of the initial merit review, all applications will:
3. Merit Review Criteria
The goals of NIH supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, to improve the control of disease, and to enhance health. In their written critiques, reviewers will be asked to comment on each of the following criteria in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered in assigning the overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application. Note that an application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, an investigator may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward.
1. Significance . Does this study address an important problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge or clinical practice be advanced? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?
2. Approach . Are the conceptual or clinical framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well integrated, well reasoned, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics?
3. Innovation . Is the project original and innovative? For example: Does the project challenge existing paradigms or clinical practice; address an innovative hypothesis or critical barrier to progress in the field? Does the project develop or employ novel concepts, approaches, methodologies, tools, or technologies for this area?
4. Investigators . Are the investigators appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the principal investigator and other researchers? Does the investigative team bring complementary and integrated expertise to the project (if applicable)? Does the collaborative group merge scientific expertise based upon strong experimental rationale and sound project goals? Previous collaborations between the investigators are not required because a purpose of this RFA is to recruit new investigators into the field of diabetes complications.
5. Environment . Does the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed studies benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, or subject populations, or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support?
3.A. Additional Review Criteria:
In addition to the above criteria, the following items will continue to be considered in the determination of scientific merit and the priority score:
Protection of Human Subjects from Research Risk: The involvement of human subjects and protections from research risk relating to their participation in the proposed research will be assessed (see the Research Plan, Section E on Human Subjects in the PHS Form 398).
Inclusion of Women, Minorities and Children in Research: The adequacy of plans to include subjects from both genders, all racial and ethnic groups (and subgroups), and children as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research will be assessed. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated (see the Research Plan, Section E on Human Subjects in the PHS Form 398).
Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals in Research: If vertebrate animals are to be used in the project, the five items described under Section F of the PHS Form 398 research grant application instructions will be assessed.
3.B. Additional Review Considerations
Budget: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the requested period of support in relation to the proposed research. The priority score should not be affected by the evaluation of the budget.
Section VI. Award Administration Information
4. Reporting
Awardees will be required to submit the PHS Non-Competing Grant Progress Report, Form 2590 annually (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/2590/2590.htm) and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Merrill M. Mitler, Ph.D.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Neuroscience Center , Rm. 2108
6001 Executive Blvd.
Bethesda , MD 20892
Phone: (301) 496-9964
Fax: (301) 402-2060
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Stephen S. Goldman, Ph.D.
Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
6701 Rockledge Drive, Suite 10193 , MSC 7956
Bethesda , MD 20892-7956 (FEDEX 20817)
Tel: 301-435-0560
Fax: 301-480-2858
E-mail: email@example.com
Peter A. Dudley, Ph.D.
Division of Extramural Research
National Eye Institute
Executive Plaza South, Suite 350
Bethesda , MD 20892-7164
Telephone: (301) 451-2020
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
2. Peer Review Contacts:
Francisco O. Calvo, Ph.D.
Chief, Review Branch
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
6707 Democracy Boulevard , Rm. 752
Bethesda , MD 20892-5452
Telephone: (301) 594-8897)
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
3. Financial or Grants Management Contacts:
Kathleen J. Shino, M.B.A.
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
6707 Democracy Boulevard , Rm. 708
Bethesda , MD 20892-5456
Telephone: (301) 594-8869
Email: email@example.com
Dianna Jessee
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Neuroscience Center , Room 3290
6001 Executive Blvd.
Bethesda , MD 20892
Phone: (301) 496-9231
Fax: (301) 402-0129
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Owen Bobbitt
Grants Operations Branch
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
6701 Rockledge Drive , Room 7044
Bethesda , MD 20892-7926
Telephone: 301-435-0177
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
William Darby
Grants Management Officer
National Eye Institute
Suite 1300
5635 Fishers Lane
Bethesda , Md 20892
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Section VIII. Other Information
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
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text:
34. The problem of finding the appropriate form for this Enquiry was in many ways even more difficult. The procedure developed by our Courts of Law, admirable as it is, goes on the footing that there are specific issues to be tried, which can be resolved one way or the other by examining the evidence given according to certain well-established rules. Such a procedure is essentially an adversary one, and all its rules are developed on that basis and make little or no sense without it. Put a little more technically, our Court procedure is an "accusatorial", and not an "inquisitorial" one.
35. My task, on the other hand, is essentially inquisitorial. I have not been given issues to try, but a wide subject-matter to find out about. This problem is common to all impartial enquiries which are set up in countries enjoying a Common Law system, and it has been the subject of much debate. One way of resolving it is to turn the Enquiry into an accusatorial procedure, by framing specific issues and conducting a trial of these by the methods familiar to our Courts. This is the way in which, in practice, Tribunals of Enquiry are conducted under the Tribunals of Enquiry (Evidence) Act 1921, and in which the Anderson Board performed its task. Subject to certain necessary safeguards, this is a satisfactory way of ascertaining the fact about specific issues, provided these are clearly defined in the first place.
36. Had I conducted the present Enquiry in this fashion, I would first have had to specify a number of issues and thus put my own refined interpretation on my terms of reference. Further, I would have had, in relation to each of these issues, to find a party who was willing to put forward the case against Scientology, or to nominate Solicitors and Counsel who, while being amicable, would also act out the role of accusers of Scientology. Since I have no power to take evidence on oath, or to enforce the production of documents, or to exercise (even indirectly) any sanction for contempt if a witness refuses to answer questions (and the subject is one where people might well feel timorous about giving evidence), I would
37. On these grounds, I came to the conclusion at an early stage that this form of Enquiry was unsuitable for the performance of my task, well though it may serve the public interest in the kind of case where a Tribunal of Enquiry is nowadays appointed under the 1921 Act, that is to say where there is a public crisis of confidence about the conduct of Ministers or other high functionaries of State, or where the nation's security may be involved.
38. The other alternative is to conduct the kind of inquisition where the Tribunal informs itself as best it can from such documents as are put before it and such witnesses as are willing to give evidence, unprepared by the taking of statements and untested by hostile cross-examination on behalf of interested parties. This is the procedure commonly adopted at the present day in what are (rather misleadingly) called "Departmental Enquiries" such as this one. The term is misleading because, although the enquiry is called for by the Minister at the head of the Department of State most closely concerned, it proceeds in total independence from that or any other Department, and its Report, though rendered formally to the appointing Minister, is concerned only to relate the facts found by, and the comments of, the impartial tribunal, regardless of the effect which these are likely to have on the Minister, his Department, or the policies of his Government or his political party).
39. Such a procedure avoids the problems inherent in using an accusatorial process for an inquisitorial enquiry, but it can create others no less serious. Lord Denning evocatively described his difficulties in acting as "detective, inquisitor, advocate and judge" when he sat in private, and unassisted by lawyers representing the conflicting interests, to investigate the Profumo affair in 1963. It was an exceptional case in two respects: first, the context of his Enquiry was one which, par excellence, might have been the occasion for the setting up of a public Tribunal of Enquiry under the 1921 Act; yet secondly, despite all handicaps, the manner of his investigation and the conclusions which he reached nonetheless commanded the unqualified respect of the country. The Royal Commission on Tribunals of Enquiry, under the Chairmanship of Lord Justice Salmon, later described the Denning Report as "a brilliant exception", and said:--
"Such a method of investigation is not objectionable where there is, in truth, no foundation for the rumours or allegations causing a nation-wide crisis of confidence. The Report will state the truth. The only defect in the procedure is that since everything takes place behind closed doors, the truth may not be generally accepted (33)."If, however, there is in reality an evil to be exposed and any of the allegations or rumours causing the nation-wide crisis of confidence are true, it is extremely difficult, if not practically impossible, for the Report to establish the truth. When a person against whom allegations are made is not even allowed to hear the evidence
---------- (32) Cmnd. 3121. (33) p. 37.
brought against him, let alone to check it by cross-examination, when he has "never had the chance to rebut" the case against him, how can any judicially-minded Tribunal be satisfied, save in the most exceptional circumstances, that the allegations have been made out? In these most exceptional cases, if they ever occur, in which such a Tribunal felt justified in making an adverse finding against anyone, that person would feel and the public might also feel that he had a real grievance in that he had had no chance of defending himself. It follows that the odds against any such Tribunal being able to establish the truth, if the truth is black, are very heavy indeed, and accordingly the truth may remain hidden from the light of day (34).40. For myself, I agree wholeheartedly with these views. It does not, of course, follow that there can never be a proper occasion for this type of enquiry: indeed, the Salmon Commission itself accepted its suitability in the case of Departmental Enquiries (36), normally used to investigate matters which are causing public concern, but are not of such importance as to justify the appointment of a Tribunal under the 1921 Act. This was well exemplified quite recently by the Bognor Regis Enquiry (37), whose scope was the circumstances of a dispute between a local authority and its clerk, a question of great local, but little national, interest where the Tribunal (Mr. J. Ramsay Williams, Q.C.) in the event found no difficulty in ascertaining the facts, and in expressing conclusions thereon, by the use of a procedure very similar to that followed by Lord Denning in 1963."We recommend that no Government in the future should ever in any circumstances whatsoever set up a Tribunal of the type adopted in the Profumo case to investigate any matter causing nationwide public concern (35)." (My italics)
42. (i) I have refrained from calling for any evidence adverse to Scientology, even where I have reason to think that such evidence might be available;(ii) Where "adverse" statements, letters and the like have been sent to me either in response to the general call for evidence which I published at the beginning of my Enquiry or which have been otherwise volunteered, I have read them by way of general background and mentioned them in this Report, if I have mentioned them at all, only as evidence that these are the allegations which some people make against Scientology.
---------- (34) Para. 38. (35) Para. 42. (36) Paras. 25, 43 and 75. (37) H.M.S.O., 1965.
(iii) Despite the many offers which have been made, on all sides, to give oral evidence before me, I have heard no witnesses at all, since it seems to me that unsworn ex parte evidence, neither led, nor directed to any defined issue, nor tested by cross-examination, would have been of no value to me.
43. Having chosen this procedure, I have not thought it right to find any facts, or express any opinions, condemning Scientology or any of its practitioners, since they have not had the opportunity of meeting any case put against them.
44. Such conclusions as I have come to, and such opinions as I have expressed about Scientology, are therefore based either on documents which have their origins within the Scientology Organisations themselves, or on documents produced by others whose relevant contents I know to be admitted by the Scientology Organisations. In many, perhaps most, of the cases where the established procedure of a "Departmental Enquiry" is apt, such self-imposed limitations would probably defeat the end of the Enquiry. That it does not, as I hope, in the present case is due to the fortunate circumstance that the Scientology Organisations are highly - some might think excessively - prone to writing about themselves. The Founder of Scientology, Mr. Lafayette Ron Hubbard, is credited with a written output to date of some 16 million words, and he continues to write more and more of them as time passes. Moreover, the Scientology Organisations are organised, as will be seen, on distinctly bureaucratic lines, as most of their policies and activities are well-documented in internal policy letters, bulletins, directives and the like.
45. Broadly, the documents emanating from the Scientology leadership on which I have drawn for the purposes of my enquiry fall into two classes. The first consists of published material, intended for external consumption, such as the books of Mr. Hubbard and Scientology magazines and broadsheets like "The Auditor" or "Freedom Scientology". Most of this was furnished to me by the Scientologists themselves, in what I assume were up-to-date editions or reprints. A list of these appears in the bibliography.
46. The other class consists of documents designed for internal consumption within the Scientology organisations, variously called "HCO Policy Letters", "SECEDS", "Executive Directives", "HCO Bulletins" and the like, almost without exception over Mr. Hubbard's signature, and always with a copyright claim in his name. By July 1970 I had accumulated a good many of these from various sources, and to complete my records I asked the Scientology leadership to supply me with copies of all documents of this kind issued since 25th September 1965. Although they sent me a great many, it was obvious that there were gaps in the series. Their explanation, given by their Public Relations Officer, Mr. David Gaiman, was as follows:--
"I have a problem in regard to this request. I am doing my best to fulfil it. There have been reams of policy, EDs, and the like produced since 1965."There is a project in being to assemble and publish an Encyclopaedia of Policy but we are only now in a position to copyright the first volume. To the best of my knowledge it will contain up to date
policy and not cancellations. We have only had a sight of one advance copy, and it was sent straight to the U.S. to be copyrighted.47. However, the following extracts from a Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter dated 14th April 1969 suggest to me that there may also be other reasons for the omissions:--"SECEDs, which are now called Executive Directives, expire after one year, and copies of old ones are sent to Archives. There are thousands of them.
"As I think I have said before, we have expanded faster than our administrative ability to keep up with it, and it is taking a long time to get the old records straight.
"Any staff member can propose and have published a policy document, and it is sometimes a matter of curiosity to me to find us accused of secrecy, by someone who comes armed to prove his point with vast pieces of documents obtained from goodness knows where. Most policy is put out under Mr. Hubbard's name, no matter whom the writer.
". . . I enclose herewith a very substantial amount of what you have requested.
"The Executive Directives cover the last year. It is no easy task to seek, copy and tabulate all back numbers for the past 5 years, and I hope after reading these you will not request them ".
BULLETIN AND POLICY LETTER DISTRIBUTION Effective at once, the following is the policy on Distribution of HCO Bulletins and Policy Letters issued from WW.
These are the standard mimeo distribution symbols;
General Non-Remimeo
Limited Non-Remimeo
MA (Magazine Article)
LIMITED NON-REMIMEO It is usually important that this does not get wide distribution as it has to do with Org know-how, planning, etc., and could be misunderstood. So it is not Remimeod or strewn about. It may be taken up in Staff meetings but that is about all. One never republishes a limited Non-Remimeo in a magazine.
GENERAL NON-REMIMEO The same as Limited Non-Remimeo but somewhat broader. These usually deal with broader points of Admin or Tech of interest to one or two production departments as well as the HES, OES, PES.
Again, they are never strewn about or broadly re-published as they could be misunderstood.Amongst the policy documents sent to me by the Scientology leadership, none were marked "Limited Non-Remimeo" and only two were marked "General Non-Remimeo".
48. As for the continued validity of policy letters, Mr. Hubbard himself has this to say (38):--
Beware of other students "explaining things" in the Policy Letters or of Course Supervisors who say "That isn't used now". The data is the data and it is in the Policy Letters".And again (39):--
"Sometimes a policy is interpreted incorrectly so that if one put it into effect fully as interpreted, loss and destruction would result. An instance of this was a type of course omitted from a policy letter. Someone did not query but instead closed the course and refunded thousands in advance payments. This was a misinterpretation of the policy which was only discussing course levels. The correct action of one and all would have been to have queried."49. Although the Anderson Report was wholly unfavourable to Scientology, many of its findings have not been specifically challenged in any of the abundant Scientology literature which seeks to attack Mr. Anderson and his conclusions. No-one could reasonably expect a line-by-line denial, in every particular, of a Report of that length, but there are a number of findings in it which one would certainly expect to see denied if they were not accepted. Since Mr. Anderson took immense pains and investigated his subject in far more detail than anyone else, I have on a few occasions found it desirable for the sake of completeness or brevity to quote from his Report, the more so since all the evidence called before him was open to testing by cross-examination and rebuttal on behalf of the Scientology interests, the very thing which is absent from an Enquiry conducted by a procedure such as mine. However, where any such quotation is adverse to Scientology, I have given its specific attribution and also indicated whether it has been specifically admitted, or merely passed by, on the part of the Scientology leadership. Where there is no such indication, the quotation should be taken as denied.
50. According to the Scientologists, both their theories and their practices are subject to continual changes, and I have myself found some evidence for this. It has therefore happened more than once that some adverse comment or report has been met with the reply that it criticised an aspect of Scientology which has meanwhile been improved or abandoned. It is thus important to be up-to-date, and accordingly I have taken the following course:--
(i) While the Anderson Report contains much important material, that Enquiry was closed in April 1965 and its Report was rendered in September of that year. I have therefore treated its findings largely as a background, and focused my attention on the period which has elapsed since its publication.
---------- (38) HCO P/L of 9 September 1969. (39) HCO P/L of 15 December 1969.
(ii) The principal sources of information on which I have relied have been Scientology documents issued, published or republished after 25th September 1965, most of which were sent to me by the Scientology Organisations themselves, and can therefore be taken to be up to date.51. The picture which emerges, while not wholly simple, is yet tolerably clear. In the rest of this Report, I shall try to delineate it as best I can, basing myself with few exceptions on quotations from the Scientologists themselves. Within the scope of a Report such as this, the quotations must necessarily form only a sample of all their writings, but I have been at pains to select them in a manner which is justly balanced, and which presents a fair outline of the whole.(iii) Where I felt any doubt about the validity of my information, or where information I needed was not readily available in the documents I already had, I included a request for it in Questionnaires addressed to the Scientology leadership at Saint Hill Manor, and it will be seen that I have quoted at length from Mr. Gaiman's answers.
(iv) Where the Scientologists have claimed that there has been a change of policy during the period on which I have concentrated my enquiry, I have mentioned this in the appropriate place.
52. Like many other subjects, Scientology has found it necessary to develop a jargon of its own. This consists in part of neologisms like "engram", "thetan", or "obnosis", and in part of the use of existing words in the language in senses other than those of common usage: e.g. "button", "facsimile", "overt" or "squirrel". Others who have studied Scientology from the outside have therefore found it necessary to append a glossary to their reports, and this Report is no exception. I have, however, limited it to those words which are to be found in quotations which appear in this Report, and it therefore makes no claims to be exhaustive.
53. Finally, it will be seen that where I have been concerned with matters on which Scientology has been attacked, or which might be held to import some moral condemnation of those who organise it or practise it, I have refrained from expressing any views of my own, but have left the documents to speak for themselves. In this way, any reader of this Report is free to make up his own mind, relying on my assurance that my selection from the material has been free of bias.
Last updated 21 February 1997
Page maintained by Martin Poulter (firstname.lastname@example.com)

subset: commoncrawl


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A new WaPo/ABC Poll has voters' confidence in Pres Obama at an all-time low.
Public confidence in President Obama has hit a new low, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll. Four months before midterm elections that will define the second half of his term, nearly six in 10 voters say they lack faith in the president to make the right decisions for the country, and a clear majority once again disapproves of how he is dealing with the economy.
Just 43 percent of all Americans now say they approve of the job Obama is doing on the economy, while 54 percent disapprove. Both are the worst, marginally, of his presidency. Even a third of Democrats give him negative marks here. And overall, intensity runs clearly against the president on the issue, with twice as many people rating him strongly negative as strongly positive.
So let me get this straight: the guy gets elected by promising to change Bush's policies, then he doesn't change Bush's policies, and now people don't trust him?
Go figure. People are funny, aren't they?
The lesson that will be drawn from this by the Children of the Village Media is, of course, that Obama is in trouble because he didn't go far enough copying Bush's policies. They don't really know how to read polls. In fact most of them are still working at Hop On Pop (which Chris Matthews thinks is about Buddy Holly for some reason) and haven't got past page 3 yet.
We most likely shouldn't be trusting them to understand our political future, much less pundify on it, until they prove they can pass at least a 5th grade history test. That requirement alone would remove about 9/10ths of MSM loudmouths and everybody on Fox.
Unfortunately, Harry Reid and Rahm Emanuel and the rest of the Third Wave Mafia that's running the Democrat party have come to the same conclusion and we can't apply such a test to the likes of them because we'd have no government left.
It's a conundrum.
Powered by Zoundry Raven


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Impact of FCO Travel Advice for your Insurance
Today's journey can almost be described as science. Where many ordinary people think romantic about being careful of the wind and fearlessly embark on adventures with the unknown, we now have to sprinkle those impulsive impulses with careful doses and healthy common sense.
Thank goodness you do not have to pack a crystal ball in your suitcase to 'get to know'. The miracle of modern technology will give you all the information you need. While traveling to some of the few rare hidden gems in the world such as the Middle East, travel insurance is a must, and it is best to read all the prints well.
Impact of FCO Travel Advice for your Insurance
Play by rules
The world is still, most definitely, a beautiful oyster, full of enormous experience and curiosity. Many travelers feel attracted to less standard goals in pursuit of a truly authentic experience. Since many of these places are not considered 'typical tourist destinations', their landscape, culture and way of life are all untouched by the modern western world.
However, when visiting these countries, it is even more important to examine their laws, regulations, and customs before traveling to ensure your own safety and to respect your host. For example, during a visit to the Middle East, travel insurance is an absolute must but so also recognize and respect local traditions in terms of dress, behavior and behavior.
Feasibility test Impact of FCO Travel Advice for your Insurance
Once you've researched your proposed goal, it's time to read all the nice prints on your travel insurance. Should often refer to the FCO website (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) to get the latest report on the physical and political status of any destination country. Fortunately, these updates are easily accessible by computers and phones these days, so stay alert and alert before and during your visit can be second nature.
Also, know that the travel insurance industry, with your best interests, also monitors and follows all recommended FCO travel guides. So, if the FCO says 'do not go', you will not be able to afford a decent and comprehensive travel insurance for that purpose.
hot spot
If your destination is in the Middle East, travel insurance may be very expensive and may exclude certain geographical areas of your plan. For example, currently the FCO has advised against all trips to Yemen. Although beaches and landscaping such as in Yemen, civil conflict and terrorist attacks in the country have marked them as an official 'no-go' zone. FCO even went so far as to suggest all the foreigners to leave as soon as possible. As a result, no matter how much you decide to spend your Christmas on one of the idyllic beaches in Yemen, you will not be able to buy travel insurance, and it may be difficult to find travel options to the country.
Another suggestion of FCO is more precise and detailed. If you travel to Jordan in the Middle East, travel insurance may be available but may have geographic limits for coverage within the country. FCO is very cautious when visiting Jordan in general, but raises their warning for an area 3 km from the rest of Syria. The potential for wild mortars, small arms fire and terrorist attacks have increased in recent months and pose significant risks to residents and visitors.
Stay alert
FCO is an excellent source of up-to-date information on the political and geographic status of any destination. Most travelers prefer not to put themselves at risk when traveling, especially when traveling for pleasure. The FCO monitors the pulse of world conflict so that travelers can make wise decisions about their safety. Unfortunately, until there is political unrest and violence in the Middle East, travel insurance will remain high or may not be available. The beauty of these countries must wait to be discovered.


text: This is to inform you that your Email ID has qualified for the FedEx season promo.The management have ordered our paying bank to load your winning funds of $450,000.00 into an ATM CREDIT MASTER CARD,due to confidentiality more details are not given in this email. Contact us back with your Legal Name, Address,Phone Numbers,Age & Sex for the claim of your ATM CARD. SECURITY:You are advised to keep your winning notification personal,so that no one will claim it on your behalf.


text:
Comments are closed.
Steve Baker is the Conservative MP for Wycombe.
Steve was first elected to Parliament in 2010. He was previously an RAF engineer officer then a consulting software engineer. Find out more...
Steve holds regular surgeries in High Wycombe. If you would like an appointment, please contact me.
This website is paid for by Steven Baker and administered privately. Views expressed are those of the indicated author, except where attributed to the authors of comments.
Steven Baker is not responsible for content on linked sites.
Promoted by Susan Hynard on behalf of Steve Baker, both at 150A West Wycombe Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP12 3AE


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We've all been there. Store to store, searching for that unique, one-of-a-kind outfit we saw in the latest magazine. You DFF's know what I'm talking about. As the time gets closer to that special engagement or wedding we've been looking forward to, we begin to stress about finding an outfit that will sparkle in the highlight reel. Well ladies, search no more, Zari & Zevar have come to the rescue.
In the olden days of India – the ones our bibi's fondly tell tales about when all we asked was if they liked their new sweater vest for Christmas – Zari meant hand-made and gold stitched clothing done for royalty. Zevar in hindi or urdu means gold jewelery. Put the two together and you have a store carrying clothing fit for royalty – in other words, fit for fashionistas.
With the first store opening in the Middle East in the early 90's and then expanding to three stores in Dubai and two in Abu Dabi, Zari & Zevar have recently expanded to Toronto – their first location in none other than our very own Bramalea City Centre. Owned by Shweta and Dhiren Bhatia, the store guarantees every single piece to be unique and exquisite. It doesn't get better than this. Think about it, an indian store in a mall… it just doesn't get better than this!
Zari & Zevar is the first to place an Indian boutique in a western mall. Since opening in April 2011, the store has definitely made a name for itself. Shweta and Dhiren put a lot of passion into delivering the perfect pieces for their customers. Every outfit is handpicked by Shweta, who occasionally tweaks styles to create her own designs as well.
Their motto "light, white and bright" is carried throughout the whole store. Bright lights with white walls and floors enhance your shopping experience and makes it easier to find your dream suit or saree. "You should be able to see every individual piece in its own beauty," says Dhiren. "We understand that our customers want to touch and feel the outfit and see it sparkle." A lot of Indian stores have outfits crammed together in the plastic packaging. It's also not encouraging when you can tell the aunty behind the counter is getting annoyed with you because you make her take out and open every single piece, hoping that what your looking for is buried in the walls of plastic packaging. Well DFFs, you no longer have to do that. Take as much time as you want to stare at and analyze the pieces in Zari & Zevar…actually you won't be able to take your eyes off the way they sparkle. I sure couldn't.
A lot of outfits are hung on hangers for customers to come in and easily look at, so you don't have to worry about getting yelled at for reaching behind the counter to open a package because the aunty is now ignoring you. Prices are clearly labeled to help you find what you are looking for right away. Zari & Zevar carry different price ranges so there's something for everyone. They also carry various selections of jewelry from bridal wear to Victorian jewelery and even westernized pieces.
Be sure to check out the sidewalk sale they will be having in the coming months. We'll be sure to keep you posted. They will also be showcasing some of their pieces in Bramalea's annual fashion show. Ladies, we'll need front row seats for this one!


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Hi there! Here's the 10th book recommendation!
1. My Mothers' Daughter by Doris Orgel
2. All-Season Edie by Annabel Lyon
3. Faith, Hope, and Ivy June by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
4. The Wedding Planner's Daughter by Coleen Murtagh Paratore
5. The Quiet Little Woman by Louis May Alcott
6. Trouble at Trident Academy by Debbie Dadey
7. A Cast Is The Perfect Accessory (And Other Lessons I've Learned) by Allison Gutknecht
8. Magic by the Book by Nina Bernstein
9. 1001 Cranes by Naomi Hirahara
10. Nature Girl by Jane Kelley
11. The Secret Language of Girls by Frances O' Roark
12. Zinnia's Zaniness by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
13. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
(amazon affiliate links above)


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Four years ago, Hurricane Katrina, the 11th named storm of the 2005 hurricane season, hurtled ashore along the coastal towns of western Mississippi. The hurricane, and its aftermath, was a tragic but pivotal event in our nation's history. For those of us who led the federal government, it catalyzed an urgent effort to overhaul our nation's disaster-response capacity. That system has now profoundly changed for the better.
Katrina was one of the strongest storms to hit the coast of the United States during the last 100 years. The wind and water impact at ground zero in Mississippi flattened shore homes, reducing them to matchsticks; boats were tossed dozens of yards inland, coming to rest improbably in backyards and astride roadways. The breadth of the storm was vast: It affected an area almost as large as Great Britain.
The test posed by Gustav was every bit as real as that posed by Katrina—only with a better result.
Although the storm was not a direct hit on New Orleans, it initially caused levee overtopping and breaching, and major flooding below sea-level areas of the Ninth Ward. But the greater damage—the truly catastrophic disaster for the city—occurred when the waters of Lake Pontchartrain, located north of New Orleans, flowed into the 17th Street Canal, which bisects a significant portion of the city. As the volume of lake water jammed into the canal with force, the hydraulic pressure caused an old, weakened section of the canal wall to crumble. The consequence was to drain the canal water, fed by the lake, into those portions of the city that were below sea-level. This created the second disaster: the great flood of New Orleans.
The rising flood caught thousands of city residents unprepared. Those who did not—or could not—evacuate in advance of the hurricane found themselves stranded, often in the upper reaches of their houses. In a heroic—and underappreciated—effort, the United States Coast Guard rescued more than 30,000 people, often maneuvering rescue helicopters through a treacherous urban landscape dotted with obstacles such as light and telephone poles. Rescue teams from Louisiana and other states saved thousands more. Despite this historic search-and-rescue effort, there was still significant anxiety and distress suffered by those awaiting help. Also unprecedented was the mass evacuation of about 1.5 million people who left the area in advance, or who were rescued and transported around the country. In the end, even though the actual loss of life did not reach as many as the tens of thousands that some had projected, the 1,464 deaths in Louisiana alone were a tragedy, and we mourn each and every one of them.
After the first weeks of the emergency passed, those of us responsible for dealing with the aftermath of Katrina at all levels of government and in the private sector faced a range of challenges: the housing, medical, and economic needs of the evacuees; the plans to rebuild the regions; and the need to strengthen the infrastructure to minimize the risk of future levee failures. But no set of questions was more important for me than understanding the points of failure that occurred during Katrina so that we could work to eliminate them—or minimize them—for future natural disasters.
What were they?
First, the infrastructure of the City of New Orleans and the region as a whole was unnecessarily vulnerable. No one can stop a hurricane. But for those who live in a hurricane-prone region, that vulnerability must be reduced. This begins on the coast itself; however, years of flawed engineering decisions coupled with erosion have damaged the wetlands, which form a natural shock absorber against hurricanes, wind, and water. They must be rehabilitated. Buildings erected along the shore must meet strenuous building codes; the structures in Mississippi that survived the massive storm surge stood only because they were solidly constructed. National flood-insurance rates need to reflect risk so that individuals and businesses are incentivized to consider alternatives to building in flood-prone areas.
One particularly tragic pre-Katrina engineering decision was especially damaging. For years, many had urged construction of floodgates at the mouth of the 17th Street Canal. Had these been available to be lowered during Katrina, the surge into the canal would have been blocked, and the major flooding of the city would have been prevented. Aesthetic and environmental objections stopped the project before 2005, with the perversely ironic result that the canal flooded at huge human, environmental, and aesthetic cost. Fortunately, that floodgates have now been built.
Second, there was no well-thought-out and practiced evacuation plan for New Orleans. The problem lay at every level: individuals who took pride in "riding it out"; state and local officials who did not have a program to use or obtain mass transportation to expedite the exit of those without automobiles; a federal government which for years assumed that evacuation was a local problem and had no backup plan. A particular difficulty arose with those who were elderly, disabled, or medically compromised. For many of these, the decision about when and how to evacuate was left in the hands of individual hospitals or nursing homes, whose response was often ineffective. The pre-Katrina assumption that evacuation is left to private decisions and local government does not meet the needs of a true catastrophe in a densely populated area.
After Katrina, we changed this. From 2006 to 2008, federal, state, and city emergency officials, including military officers, put together comprehensive evacuation and emergency plans for the Gulf Coast (and other parts of the country). In Louisiana, and elsewhere, these plans were the basis of training and exercising. A detailed census of medically compromised or otherwise "special needs" citizens was conducted so that government officials could be sure everyone who needs to move to safety is accounted for. Specific plans were developed for communicating with and reaching the disabled. Even a plan for pet evacuation was developed.
Third, the failure of communications left everyone unsure of the ground truth. The natural and physical obstacles to the response in Katrina were magnified by the perception that the city was in full disorder and that nobody was willing to take charge. To be sure, rumors of mass violence were exaggerated. But true or not, the general belief that New Orleans had degenerated into near anarchy seriously affected the ability to carry out rescue operations. All levels of government were either incapable or slow in marshaling the law-enforcement and military resources necessary to reassure the public that authority was in full control of the city, and undertaking rescues. Concern about the scope of legal authorities among the various levels of government also impaired the response.
This is the most important lesson of Katrina. Part of the fix is obvious: A robust, interoperable communications system is key to the command and control over any response. After Katrina, the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA put together mobile teams that could be inserted into disaster zones with full communications packages. The federal and state governments acquired mobile satellite-enabled communications vehicles that are indispensible. But beyond the tools of communication, there must be a clear understanding of the lines of authority, and incident management, to assure unity of effort. Developing this capability, through a federal and state National Response Framework, has been the work of the last four years.
So, have we fixed things? Have the points of failure of Katrina been remedied? Well, we have been tested. In 2008, approximately three years after Katrina, Hurricane Gustav formed as a massive Category 4 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico aimed directly at southeastern Louisiana, including New Orleans.
How did we do?
New Orleans lowered the newly constructed floodgates at the 17th Street Canal so that it would not rupture because of a swell of water from Lake Pontchartrain. Evacuation orders were issued early by state and local authorities. Preplanned mass-transportation routes were initiated. The disabled were contacted and assisted. Medical special-needs patients were evacuated. When some medical facilities made a last-minute decision to remove patients, prepared plans to coordinate with National Guard and federal military assets were triggered. In the end, almost two million people were evacuated from the coastline—the largest evacuation in U.S. history.
This time, federal, state, and local authorities had clear physical and operational lines of communication. Federal teams with survivable radio gear were positioned at the likely point of impact. Significant National Guard assets were in the city, visible and reassuring that no disorder would be tolerated.
The test posed by Gustav was every bit as real as that posed by Katrina—only with a better result. The good news is that we did learn from Katrina and that we are better able to manage such extreme emergencies. The cautionary note is that we need to continue to improve our planning and preparation, not only in the Gulf but also throughout this nation.
Michael Chertoff was the second secretary of Homeland Security. He previously served as the assistant attorney general for the criminal division at the Department of Justice. As assistant attorney general, he oversaw the investigation of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He also formed the Enron Task Force. He is currently senior of counsel for Covington & Burling LLP's Washington, DC office and a member of the white-collar defense and investigations practice group.


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Egyptian riot police battle protesters in Cairo
| Cairo
Egyptian riot police fired tear gas and locked down Cairo's Tahrir Square and several other main streets Friday as clashes broke out in what appeared to be a push by Islamist supporters of the ousted president to take control of the square.
Troops sealed off the square with tanks and barbed wire, diverting traffic from the central plaza as thousands of Mohammed Morsi's supporters marched there from several districts in the city.
Protesters encircled security forces and army troops guarding the square, prompting other security forces to fire volleys of tear gas to send the demonstrators away.
"Down down with the murderer!" protesters chanted, in reference to Defense Minister and Army Chief Gen. Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi, who forced Morsi out of power after millions took to the streets this past summer demanding he step down.
Meanwhile, civilians believed to be supporters of the military engaged in clashes with Morsi supporters that involved firing guns and throwing rocks.
An Associated Press reporter saw protesters pushed away by other Egyptians armed with sticks and bottles who chased them in the streets before the two sides started hurling stones just steps from the Egyptian museum, located at one of the main entrances of the square.
"We will go protest and take all streets possible," said Mohammed Said, 45, during a march from the Dokki neighborhood to Tahrir. "We will get in Tahrir at any price."
Another rally ended at a Defense Ministry building and a second at Rabaa el-Adawiyah mosque in eastern Cairo, where a pro-Morsi protest camp was violently dismantled on Aug. 14. Troops backed with armored vehicles beefed up security in the vicinity of the mosque, where protesters chanted slogans against the military.
Protesters flashed four fingers, their symbol in online and street campaigns for demonstrations.
Across the country, similar clashes broke out with police firing tear gas and gunshots in the air as residents and protesters clashed and threw stones at each other.
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood group, from which Morsi hails, is escalating protests to coincide with commemorations of Egypt's Oct. 6 opening strike in the 1973 war with Israel.
Earlier in the day, at least two Egyptian soldiers were killed in an attack by suspected militants on an army convoy east of Cairo.


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Description (from Goodreads): A thirteen-year-old girl and her father live in Forest Park, the enormous nature preserve in Portland, Oregon. There they inhabit an elaborate cave shelter, bathe in a nearby creek, store perishables at the water's edge, use a makeshift septic system, tend a garden, even keep a library of sorts. Once a week, they go to the city to buy groceries and otherwise merge with the civilized world. But one small mistake allows a backcountry jogger to discover them, which derails their entire existence, ultimately provoking a deeper flight.
Review: My Abandonment is a deceptively quiet novel. At first glance, it appears as an ordinary coming of age story that focuses on a father-daughter relationship and the setting mirrors our own, but we still can't rid of this lingering, instinctual feeling that something is not right. You see Caroline and her father are homeless and live in Forest Park, a nature preserve, not because of unfortunate circumstances but of choice. Even when they are given the opportunity to have a home and the local authorities find a job with Father, both Caroline and Father feel constrained and uncomfortable. I found Caroline and her father's lifestyle to be jarring, unusual, and to be honest a bit cockeyed. I guess the point that they are trying to make is that they feel closer to nature and at their purest when they are not tied down to world of convenience. This aspect of the book really reminded me of the American Transcendentalism unit I had in high school, which I always thought was a good idea in theory but not really realistic.
Just as I was trying to get comfortable at looking through Caroline's and Father's lens, the story takes a really strange and disturbing turn. We learn some startling details from the detached, wide-eyed, and innocent Caroline who obediently follows Father. As she begins to thaw and open up, we are given another account of her story which throws not only confusion and challenges us to re-evaluate the story we were told in the first half of the book, but also another complex layer of what it means to survive, love, and be alienated. I don't want to go into detail about the plot twist because I think you really need to experience it yourself.
While I thought My Abandoment was a compelling and emotional read, I did have some problems with the writing. The voice of Caroline is not consistent. She can sound like a 10 year old in moment, an adult in another. Perhaps this was done on purpose to make us feel disconnected and now thinking back on the book makes sense, but if the author chose just one of these voices it would have made the book much more powerful. Unlike most books I've read, My Abandoment is filled with descriptive narrative with sporadic dialogue, which at times worked for me because it initially drew me into the story but it got old quickly. I quickly realized that much of the story lies in between the sentences and paragraphs.
I would definitely recommend picking up My Abandoment is you like a compelling, psychological fiction and you are okay with having more questions than answers. There are lots of things to discuss about this book, which I think would make this an interesting choice for a bookclub.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Words of Caution: There is some strong language and disturbing images. Recommended for older teens and adults.
If you like this book try: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin


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A parole violator, he could see only four inches in front of his face. At the West Valley Detention Center, according to his account, deputies assigned him the upper bunk in a cell at the top of a tall staircase. "The deputy laughed at me and told me I could see just fine," he recounted. Several days later, he missed a step and, flailing for a handrail, tumbled down the steel staircase. When he returned from the hospital in a wheelchair, deputies confiscated it.
The blind prisoner's account, dictated to an attorney, is one of dozens of complaints cited in a federal lawsuit alleging that the state violated the rights of disabled prisoners by not ensuring they would receive adequate care in county jails. The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department did not respond to requests for comment.
The debate over the state's responsibility for disabled prisoners has taken on increasing importance as the state shifts the burden of housing many thousands of inmates onto the counties in a policy euphemistically known as "realignment."
The state, facing a federal court mandate to shrink its prison population, enacted the Public Safety Realignment Act last year, flooding county jails with felons, nonviolent offenders and parolees who have been rearrested. Among them are thousands of disabled prisoners with special medical needs.
For county governments already reeling from budget cutbacks, the cost of upgrading jails and caring for disabled prisoners could be huge.
"I'm crossing my fingers that we can accommodate some of those needs here in our county," said Undersheriff Dahl Cleek, of Tulare County, where advocates found disability rights violations earlier this year. "But it's not like we have a built-in hospital inside these jails. Those could bankrupt a county pretty quick."
For more than two decades, attorneys representing disabled prisoners have fought the state in federal court to improve their treatment.
In 1994, lawyers filed a class-action lawsuit against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation alleging that the department housed disabled prisoners in poor conditions and discriminated against them by failing to provide equal access to programs and services.
The landmark suit, now known as the Armstrong case after lead plaintiff John Armstrong, ultimately compelled the prison system to improve its facilities and expand services for disabled prisoners. State prisons began keeping track of disabled inmates, giving them vests that identified their disability status and making sure they had access to showers, toilets, medical supplies and prison programs.
"We underwent tremendous changes," said Jeanne Woodford, the former corrections department director who helped implement the policies.
With the surge of inmates in county jails, lawyers for the disabled gathered dozens of complaints from prisoners and presented them to U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken, who deemed them evidence of widespread rights violations in county facilities. The cases included:
- At Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, an inmate with 80 percent hearing loss was denied a hearing aid and then disciplined for failing to listen to deputies' directions.
- In Santa Barbara County, a bipolar and suicidal parole violator said he was denied the medication he had received while in prison.
- In Sacramento County, a blind parole violator was denied a tapping cane, forcing him to rely on inmates and deputies to escort him to the toilet, the showers and meals. He had been permitted a cane in prison.
- In Los Angeles County, a paralyzed parolee reported that deputies replaced her custom wheelchair with a broken one, tying her feet to the footrests to keep them from dragging, then gave her a cell with a door that was not wide enough for a wheelchair. Deputies later returned her personal wheelchair.
- In Tulare County, an inmate with swollen legs from chronic liver disease reported that deputies had confiscated his cane. In prison, he had been allowed to use a cane.
- Also in Tulare County, a parole violator scheduled for knee replacement surgery was given an upper bunk; he fell 11 times while trying to climb onto his bed, he said. In prison, he had been assigned a lower bunk.
- In Butte County, a deaf inmate said he could not communicate with medical staff about an ear infection because the jail did not provide a sign language interpreter.
Woodford was asked by the prisoners' attorneys to review jail polices and the prisoners' complaints. She said many county jails are now in the same position the state prisons were before the Armstrong case was filed.
"County jails are providing accommodations only sporadically, resulting in significant harm to CDCR prisoners and parolees," Woodford said in a declaration to the court.
In August, Wilken upheld her earlier order that the state is responsible for disabled parole violators and prisoners who are being held in county facilities. She ordered the state to begin emailing jails with information about disabled prisoners coming into their care and describing the past services they received. She also ordered the state to give prisoners grievance forms and investigate complaints.
Since Sept. 10, the state has notified county jails that more than 1,300 of their newly arrived inmates are disabled.
Gay Grunfeld, the lead attorney for prisoners in the Armstrong case, said the judge's order would improve conditions in the jails.
"This idea that the state and the counties are totally separate is just inconsistent with reality," she said. "I'm very confident that providing information about the particular parolees is going to help everybody improve."
The state, however, has appealed Wilken's decision. And in June, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation declaring that any parolee locked up in a county jail is under the county's "sole legal custody and jurisdiction."
County officials are concerned that if the state prevails, they may be on the hook for expensive jail renovations, long-term treatment programs and services such as sign language interpreters.
"It's a question that we don't yet know the answer to," said Butte County Undersheriff Kory Honea. "Certainly, there is the possibility that litigation costs, or the costs associated with retrofitting the facility or providing accommodations could increase. It could be substantial."
But Grunfeld said county jails have no excuse for not following the federal law that protects all Americans with disabilities.
"If they're worried," she said, "they should start complying."
View this story on California Watch
Story courtesy of our media partners at California Watch (A Project of the Center for Investigative Reporting)


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Acadia Realty Trust to Present at the Citi 2013 Global Property CEO Conference
Acadia Realty Trust to Present at the Citi 2013 Global Property CEO Conference
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. acadiarealty.com--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Acadia Realty Trust (NYS: AKR) today announced it is scheduled to present on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at 11:30 a.m. ET during the Citi 2013 Global Property CEO Conference in Hollywood, Florida. The presentation will feature a company overview and update by Kenneth F. Bernstein, President and Chief Executive Officer, followed by a question and answer session. The live presentation may be accessed, in a listen-only mode, by dialing 646-490-2858, using passcode 9603090374.
The Company will also be participating in individual meetings with investors at this conference. Company information to be presented in these meetings will be posted to the Company's website at acadiarealty.com under Investor Relations - Presentations - Citi 2013 Global Property CEO Conference.
About Acadia Realty Trust
Acadia Realty Trust, a fully-integrated equity real estate investment trust, is focused on the acquisition, ownership, management and redevelopment of high-quality retail properties and urban/infill mixed-use properties with a strong retail component located primarily in high-barrier-to-entry, densely-populated metropolitan areas along the East Coast and in Chicago. Acadia owns, or has an ownership interest in these properties through its core portfolio and its opportunistic/value-add investment funds. Additional information may be found on the Company's website at acadiarealty.com.
Certain matters in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities law and as such may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performances or achievements of Acadia to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding Acadia's future financial results and its ability to capitalize on potential opportunities arising from continued economic uncertainty. Factors that could cause the Company's forward-looking statements to differ from its future results include, but are not limited to, those discussed under the headings "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 27, 2013 ("Form 10-K") and other periodic reports filed with the SEC, including risks related to: (i) the current global financial environment and its effect on retail tenants; (ii) the Company's reliance on revenues derived from major tenants; (iii) the Company's limited control over joint venture investments; (iv) the Company's partnership structure; (v) real estate and the geographic concentration of our properties; (vi) market interest rates; (vii) leverage; (viii) liability for environmental matters; (ix) the Company's growth strategy; (x) the Company's status as a REIT; (xi) uninsured losses and (xii) the loss of key executives. Copies of the Form 10-K and the other periodic reports Acadia files with the SEC are available on the Company's website at acadiarealty.com. Any forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. Acadia expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Acadia's expectations with regard thereto or change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Acadia Realty Trust
Jon Grisham, 914-288-8100
KEYWORDS: United States North America Florida New York
The article Acadia Realty Trust to Present at the Citi 2013 Global Property CEO Conference originally appeared on Fool.com.
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In the midst of our high-tech, ostentatious, hedonistic lifestyle, among the dazzling monuments to history, art, religion, and commerce, there are the 'black boxes.' These are the biomedical research laboratories, factory farms, and slaughterhouses - faceless compounds where society conducts its dirty business of abusing and killing innocent, feeling beings.
These are our Dachaus, our Buchenwalds, our Birkenaus. Like the good German burghers, we have a fair idea of what goes on there, but we don't want any reality checks. We rationalize that the killing has to be done and that it's done humanely. We fear that the truth would offend our sensibilities and perhaps force us to do something. It may even change our life.
Slaughterhouse by Gail Eisnitz of the Humane Farming Association is a gut-wrenching, chilling, yet carefully documented, expose of unspeakable torture and death in America's slaughterhouses. It explodes their popular image of obscure factories that turn dumb 'livestock' into sterile, cellophane-wrapped 'food' in the meat display case. The testimony of dozens of slaughterhouse workers and USDA inspectors pulls the curtain on abominable hellholes, where the last minutes of innocent, feeling, intelligent horses, cows, calves, pigs, and chickens are turned into interminable agony. And, yes, the book may well change your life. Here are some sample quotes (warning! extremely offensive material follows).
The agony starts when the animals are hauled over long distances under extreme crowding and harsh temperatures. Here is an account from a worker assigned to unloading pigs: "In the winter, some hogs come in all froze to the sides of the trucks. They tie a chain around them and jerk them off the walls of the truck, leave a chunk of hide and flesh behind. They might have a little bit of life left in them, but workers just throw them on the piles of dead ones. They'll die sooner or later."
Once at the slaughterhouse, some animals are too injured to walk and others simply refuse to go quietly to their deaths. This is how the workers deal with it: "The preferred method of handling a cripple is to beat him to death with a lead pipe before he gets into the chute... If you get a hog in a chute that's had the shit prodded out of him, and has a heart attack or refuses to move, you take a meat hook and hook it into his bunghole (anus)...and a lot of times the meat hook rips out of the bunghole. I've seen thighs completely ripped open. I've also seen intestines come out."
And here is what awaits the animals on the kill floor. First, the testimony of a horse slaughterhouse worker: "You move so fast you don't have time to wait till a horse bleeds out. You skin him as he bleeds. Sometimes a horse's nose is down in the blood, blowing bubbles, and he suffocates."
Then another worker, on cow slaughter: "A lot of times the skinner finds a cow is still conscious when he slices the side of its head and it starts kicking wildly. If that happens, ... the skinner shoves a knife into the back of its head to cut the spinal cord." (This paralyzes the animal, but doesn't stop the pain of being skinned alive.) And still another, on calf slaughter: "To get done with them faster, we'd put eight or nine of them in the knocking box at a time... You start shooting, the calves are jumping, they're all piling up on top of each other. You don't know which ones got shot and which didn't... They're hung anyway, and down the line they go, wriggling and yelling"(to be slaughtered while fully conscious).
And on pig slaughter: "If the hog is conscious, ... it takes a long time for him to bleed out. These hogs get up to the scalding tank, hit the water, and start kicking and screaming... There's a rotating arm that pushes them under. No chance for them to get out. I am not sure if they burn to death before they drown, but it takes them a couple of minutes to stop thrashing."
The work takes a major emotional toll on the workers. Here's one worker's account: "I've taken out my job pressure and frustration on the animals, on my wife, ... and on myself, with heavy drinking." Then it gets a lot worse: "... with an animal who pisses you off, you don't just kill it. You ... blow the windpipe, make it drown in its own blood, split its nose... I would cut its eye out... and this hog would just scream. One time I ... sliced off the end of a hog's nose. The hog went crazy, so I took a handful of salt brine and ground it into his nose. Now that hog really went nuts..."
Safety is a major problem for workers who operate sharp instruments standing on a floor slippery with blood and gore, surrounded by conscious animals kicking for their lives, and pressed by a speeding slaughter line. Indeed, 36 percent incur serious injuries, making their work the most hazardous in America. Workers who are disabled and those who complain about working conditions are fired and frequently replaced by undocumented aliens. A few years ago, 25 workers were burned to death in a chicken slaughterhouse fire in Hamlet, NC, because management had locked the safety doors to prevent theft.
Here is a worker's account: "The conditions are very dangerous, and workers aren't well trained for the machinery. One machine has a whirring blade that catches people in it. Workers lose fingers. One woman's breast got caught in it and was torn off. Another's shirt got caught and her face was dragged into it."
Although Slaughterhouse focuses on animal cruelty and worker safety, it also addresses the issues of consumer health, including the failure of the federal inspection system. There is a poignant testimony from the mother of a child who ate a hamburger contaminated with E. coli: "After Brianne's second emergency surgery, surgeons left her open from her sternum to her pubic area to allow her swollen organs room to expand and prevent them from ripping her skin... Her heart ... bled from every pore. The toxins shut down Brianne's liver and pancreas. An insulin pump was started. Several times her skin turned black for weeks. She had a brain swell that the neurologists could not treat... They told us that Brianne was essentially brain-dead."
Slaughterhouse has some problems. In an attempt to reflect the timeline of the investigation, the presentation suffers from poor organization and considerable redundancy. But that's a bit like criticizing the testimony on my Holocaust experiences because of my Polish accent. The major problem is not with the content of the book, but with the publisher's cover design. The title and the headless carcasses pictured on the dust jacket effectively ensure that the book will not be read widely and that the shocking testimony inside will not get out to the consuming public.
And that's a pity. Because the countless animals whose agony the book documents so graphically deserve to have their story told. And because Slaughterhouse is the most powerful argument for meatless eating that I have ever read. Eisnitz' closing comment "Now you know, and you can help end these atrocities" should be fair warning. After nearly 25 years of work on farm animal issues, including leading several slaughterhouse demonstrations, I was deeply affected. Indeed, reading Slaughterhouse has changed my life.
* * * Slaughterhouse is available from FARM (PO Box 30654, Bethesda, MD 20824), Humane Farming Association (PO Box 3577, San Rafael, CA 94912), and most bookstores. People who would like to help get this information to the general public should contact FARM and HFA.
British Beef
Meat.org Video
Finger-Lickin' Cruel
British Meat and BSE
Human BSE Foundation
The Abolitionist Project
When Meat Is Not Murder
Low IQ Link to Eating Meat
49 Reasons To Be A Vegetarian
British Meat: the recipe for cancer
Slaughterhouse: video (mp4: 5.55Mb)
Red meat: the recipe for breast cancer
British meat crisis: has BSE spread to sheep?
Vivisection and Animal Experimentation: video
Reasons To Be Vegetarian (video advocating cruelty-free diet)


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Scripting of frameworks
This article describes how to advertise and use scripting capabilities of a frameworks or a bundle.
Any bundle, including an application or a framework can provide information about scripting. Bundles can advertise:
- classes
- named objects
Frameworks and other bundles do not have to be linked with StepTalk, therefore they do not have to have StepTalk dependency. You just include a file named ScriptingInfo.plist in the framework's or bundle's Resources directory.
To include a framework in a script, simply do following:
Environment includeFramework:'MyFrameworkName'.
You can use GNUstep Frameworks from StepTalk scripts. Frameworks are stored in standard paths */Library/Frameworks. To get a list of all available frameworks:
NSBundle allFrameworkNames.
To load a framework with its public classes:
Environment includeFramework:'MyFramework'
StepTalk Bundles (or Modules)
StepTalk bundles are stored in */Library/StepTalk/Modules and can be loaded this way:
Environment loadModule:'moduleName'.
For example, to load the AppKit module:
Environment loadModule:'AppKit'
To get list of all available StepTalk bundle names use:
names := NSBundle stepTalkBundleNames
Generic Bundles
To use scripting capabilities from any bundle, you have to find the bundle and include its capabilities in a scripting environment.
bundle := NSBundle bundleWithPath:'/path/to/my/bundle'. Environment includeBundle:bundle.
This will register all public classes and named objects provided by the bundle.
To include scripting capabilities of all loaded bundles, do:
(NSBundle allBundles) do: [ :bundle | Environment includeBundle:bundle ]
To include scripting capabilities of all loaded frameworks, do:
(NSBundle allFrameworks) do: [ :bundle | Environment includeBundle:bundle ]
Note: Ignore the logs.
List public classes in bundle's info dictionary (Info.plist)
Classes = ( /* Array of public classes */ );
Named Objects
Bundles can provide objects like global variables or constants. To make objects available, create a script info class and provide it's name in bundle's info dictionary. Return a dictionary of named objects in specific class method.
@interface MyBundleScriptingInfo:NSObject + (NSDictionary *)namedObjectsForScripting; @end
@implementation !MyBundleScriptingInfo + (NSDictionary *)namedObjectsForScripting { NSMutableDictionary *dictionary; /* ... fill the dictionary with objects ...*/ return [[NSDictionary dictionaryWithDictionary:dictionary]; /* Return an immutable copy */ } @end
Public classes
Then provide the class name in the file MyBundleInfo.plist:
ScriptingInfoClass = MyBundleScriptingInfo;
Example info dictionary:
{ ScriptingInfoClass = ObjectiveCModule; Classes = ( ObjectiveCRuntime ); }


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GM probiotics reduce insulin resistance and body fat: Mouse data
"Mice that received the bacteria making the appetite suppressing drug NAPE weighed 10-12% less than the untreated mice, had 35% less overall body fat and had 56% less fat in their liver," senior investigator Sean Davies told NutraIngredients.
The team genetically modified the E.coli Nissle strain, which has been used as a probiotic treatment for diarrhoea for nearly a century, to produce a lipid compound called NAPE.
"Previous research had shown that NAPE was made by the small intestine when people ate a meal, and that it could send signals to the brain that would reduce appetite and body weight," said Davies.
He said there was evidence that NAPE production may be reduced in obese people, provoking reduced feelings of satiety and therefore a greater likelihood of overeating.
"We thought that if we could get the gut bacteria to make enough NAPE in addition to what was made by the intestine, it would help suppress appetite," he continued.
Study design
The scientists added the NAPE-producing bacteria to the drinking water of mice fed a high fat diet for eight weeks. Mice that received the modified bacteria had dramatically lower food intake, body fat, insulin resistance and fatty liver compared to the mice receiving the control bacteria.
These effects lasted for at least four weeks after the NAPE-producing bacteria were removed from the drinking water.
"Our results demonstrate that incorporation of appropriately modified bacteria into the gut microbiota has potential as an effective strategy to inhibit the development of metabolic disorders," wrote the researchers.
The obesity battle
Davies pointed out that this was early stage research in mice not humans, but admitted, "it looks promising".
"I wouldn't say it will be a complete 'cure' for obesity but it could be an effective treatment for helping people reach a body weight that prevents many of the problems associated with obesity, like diabetes."
The EU's heavy regulation of GMOs means that it would be some time – if ever – before such a probiotic strain would be authorised for sale in the region. But could findings such as these, which demonstrate the positive potential of genetic modification, go some way to softening the anti-GM sentiment that pervades Europe?
"Obviously the more we can show that the use of therapeutic bacteria is safe and effective, the more likely we will increase acceptance of their use. Europe has generally been ahead of the US in the use of probiotics, so that might be something that can be built on," suggested Davies.
Regulatory hurdles
The investigators are working on strategies to address regulatory issues related to containing the bacteria, because, as Davies explained: "Preclinical studies in animals will need to show that these organisms won't spread to untreated individuals and that they don't cause harm to animals with less functional immune systems where it might be more likely for the bacteria to leave their home in the gastrointestinal tract and invade the blood stream."
The Journal of Clinical Investigation
doi: 10.1172/JCI72517.
'Incorporation of therapeutically modified bacteria into gut microbiota inhibits obesity'
Authors: Zhongyi Chen, Lilu Guo, Yongqin Zhang, Rosemary L. Walzem, Julie S. Pendergast, Richard L. Printz, Lindsey C. Morris, Elena Matafonova, Xavier Stien, Li Kang, Denis Coulon, Owen P. McGuinness, Kevin D. Niswender and Sean S. Davies